Wachtmeister


Wachtmeister is a military rank of non-commissioned officers in Austria and Switzerland. The Wachtmeister was initially responsible for the guard duty of the army. Later, it became the Feldwebel equivalent NCO-grade of the cavalry and artillery. Besides Austria and Switzerland today, the rank was also used elsewhere, for example in Germany, Russia, and Poland.

Historical background

The Wachtmeister was in the beginning responsible guard, sentry, or sentinel, responsible for the armies’ guard duty. Later he became the Feldwebel equivalent NCO-grade of the Cavalry and Artillery.
In the lansquenet armies and in the town of the 16th century, Wachtmeister was the official title to a «war experienced, skilful, and honest fellow», which was – in line to the order of his superior – responsible for the security of the military compound, or/and had to take care for the marching troops. He organized and controlled the guards, was responsible for discipline and attention, and took care for knowing the watchword. The watch service was provided almost by the cavalry, and often the mounted troops were responsible to guard the whole army, what was the case for instance in Brandenburg about 1620.
With the formation of standing armies, the designation Wachtmeister became of universally valid for the Feldwebel of the cavalry, later also of the artillery and other armed service branches. As regards to the three Feldwebel-ranks until 1945 there were the equivalent ranks Unterwachtmeister, Wachtmeister and Oberwachtmeister. Until 1970 in the GDR NPA the Feldwebel of the artillery was designated Wachtmeister.

Austria

Until the 1970s year the artillery and air defence troops used the designation Feuerwerker instead of Wachtmeister. Today, the Wachtmeister is the lowest NCO-rank in the Austrian Bundesheer. The Wachtmeister will normally be deployed as a leader of a squad.
Regarding the promotion to OR5-rank there are three possibilities:
During United Nations missions and in NATO Partnership for Peace the rank Wachtmeister will be designated in English with Master Corporal and is equivalent to NATO-Rang code OR-5.
;See also:
Wachtmeister was a cavalry rank of the Austro-Hungarian Armed Forces. It was comparable to Cavalry Mster-sergeant in Anglophone armed forces.
In the Austro-Hungarian Armed Forces Wachtmeister was equivalent to:
Junior rank
Zugsführer

 Wachtmeister		Senior rank
Stabswachtmeister

Then rank insignia was a gorget patch on the stand-up collar of the so-called Waffenrock, and consisted of three white stars on 13 mm ragged yellow silk galloon. The gorget patch and the stand-up collar showed the particular Waffenfarbe.
;Examples :
;Wachtmeister of the k.u.k. Hussars
;See also:

Switzerland

In the Military of Switzerland the Wachtmeister is a NCO-rank. The rank is higher than the rank Korporal, and lower the Oberwachtmeister.
Until the so-called Army reform XXI the rank was regular assigned to Zugführer -Stellvertreter. However, in 2014 the new Wachtmeister appointment was squad leader or vehicle leader, e.g. gun commander.
In United Nations missions and in NATO Partnership for Peace the rank Wachtmeister will be designated in English with Sergeant.
; See also:
⇒ Military ranks of the Swiss Armed Forces

Other armed forces

Germany

Similarly to the company sergeant major appointment to army units, the NCOs with port épée on board larger warships wears the designation «Wachtmeister». Among other responsibilities, he might be required to deal with S1 obligations. Assigned to this role will be experienced port épée NCOs up to the rank of Hauptbootsmann or higher.
In the German army ground forces, the designation of the OR5-Feldwebel rank of Cavalry and Artillery was the «Wachtmeister» until 1945.
In the GDR National People´s Army, the «Wachtmeister» OR5-rank was replaced by Feldwebel in 1970.
In the Imperial German Navy, Reichsmarine, and Kriegsmarine, the lowest port épée NCO rank of the sea operations divisions was named «Wachtmeister» as well. However, the equivalent rank of land operations divisions was named Feldwebel.
Junior Rank
Unterwachtmeister

World War II German Navy rank
Wachtmeister
Senior Rank
Oberwachtmeister

; See also:
In the GDR National People's Army the OR5-rank «Wachtmeister» was replaced by the universal rank designation Feldwebel. The equivalent rank of the Volksmarine was the Meister of the Volksmarine.
Junior Rank
Unterwachtmeister

National People's Army rank
Wachtmeister
Senior Rank
Oberwachtmeister

; See also:
«Wachtmeister» was also a German police rank.

Poland

In Poland, "Wachmistrz" was a sergeant serving in cavalry.

Russia

To the Russian Army «Wachtmeisterr» was already adopted in 1711, as to the order of the Tsar Peter the Great. Until 1877 there were unofficially olso the ranks «Starshij vakhmistr» and «Mladshij vakhmistr» in order to provide a discrimination to the so-called platoon NCOs.
The «Wachtmeister» was responsible for providing support to the troop commander, which normally was Rittmeister. To his duty responsibilities counted among others basic unit training, command task training, service support, and internal disposition.
The equivalent to «Wachtmeister» was the Feldwebel of the infantry. Until 1826 it was the highs NCO-rank and superior to all subordinate NCOs. In 1826 the so-called «old» Oberwachtmeisters were counted to the senior officer´s rank group in, line to the Russian rank table. However, in real life it was never accepted, although id could be army internal equal treated to the cornet rank.
junior rank:
Junior NCO

Wachtmeister
senior rank:
Podpraporshchik